Tales Of Dusk
by IWalkBlindlyIntoTheShadows
Summary: Just my one-shots for We Are The Night.
1. Moving On

_**So, I'm gonna be doing some one-shots for WatN, my forum made for bringing people together. There are some lovely people you may recognize such as Amberstorm223, the author of Reaper, TheFanfictionMaster, who has some nice adoptable stories up and also writes for MLP, BrightwhisperOfWC, who runs a forum known as MoonClan, and others who would take a minute to list.**_

 _ **Now, before I say anything else, I am working on the chapters for my other projects, I promise. I'm just working slowly. I have a lot of other important things going on, making it hard to over-come my writer's block. That's the purpose of these one-shots [as well as developing characters and a place to post my challenges from now on so my stuff isn't so cluttered].**_

 ** _So, here's the first chapter of Tales Of Dusk: Moving On._**

 ** _There will be a disclaimer at the bottom._**

* * *

A cold wind whistled through the air as the faint light from the covered sun slipped through cracks in the clouds. Light snow fell from the sky like graceful feathers from a bird. a small tortoiseshell she-cat slipped through the silent snow, the puffy white flecks clinging to her black and gold pelt. Her green eyes shone with a nameless joy as she made her way to the edge of the city. Waiting for her was a heavily-scarred tom, his silvery white pelt hard to spot among the blanket of white that surrounded them, save for his tabby markings, which seemed almost black.

"Echo." The she-cat greeted, saying the name of the powerful-looking tom.

"Venus," Echo's voice rumbled with a purr as he greeted her. "I was almost worried you had forgotten about me."

"I could never. It's just, the weather is making it hard to travel." Echo frowned lightly in confusion at her words.

"What do you mean? You don't live that far, do you?" Venus shook her had at his question, but also silently bit her tongue. If the rogue knew that she was a kittypet, she doubt her would care for her as much as he did. Especially since she knew of his hatred for housecats.

"Not really, but... I have some things stopping me from visiting as often."

"Some things? Venus, what are you trying to tell me? Look, if you've found another tom-"

"No!" she cut him off at the accusation. "I will never love another tom as much as I love you! It's just.."

Venus took a deep breath. She was hoping that he would take the news nicely. She was surprised that he hadn't noticed that she looked a little heavier and was having a harder time trudging through the cold.

"Just?"

"Echo, I'm expecting your kits." There. She had said it. However, as silence settled around them, Echo twitched his tail uncomfortably. Venus could barely feel herself breath, afraid of what his silence meant. Finally, Echo got to his paws but, instead of heading over to her, he turned his back.

"Get out of my sight."

"W-what?"

"You heard me. _Leave_."

"B-but why? I thought you'd be happy..." Echo turned to Venus sharply.

"Happy? How can I be happy with kits that are half kittypet?"

"W-wait how did you-"

"Don't think I haven't followed you. I knew something was off about you, never telling me where you lived, leaving so suddenly during the days... I've been waiting for you to tell me the truth, but you've done nothing but lie to me, saying you were a loner from the twolegplace. It's just like a kittypet to lie like you did."

"Echo-"

"Just go back to your twolegs before I chase you back." He hissed, unsheathing his claws. Venus took a shaky step back before fleeing towards her home. Sobs rose to her throat as she crossed the thunderpath, not even checking if it was safe to cross. A car horn sounded behind her as the foul stink of the monster's fumes tugged at her pelt. It has missed her but, deep down, part of her wished it hadn't. She continued racing home until she finally arrived. She slipped through her twoleg's window, which was still slightly cracked from when her twoleg had let her out. She curled up on her twoleg's large nest before closing her eyes.

 _Oh, what have I done? Why did I have to ruin everything?_

* * *

Venus panted as she finished giving birth to the last kit. She carefully groomed the fourth-born kit, though she barely had the energy to do so. She glanced at the make-shift nest. It wasn't completely comfortable, but she was glad her twoleg had made it for her anyway. Looking back down at her newborn kits, she purred quietly. Three toms and a she-cat. One of the toms was dark ginger-brown with three white paws, like his father had. Another was almost solid black, though his ears were a snowy white. The final tom was a pale sand tabby, which reminded Venus so much of her brother Sand.

 _It's been so long since I've seen him._ The thought quietly whispered in the back of her mind. She and her brother didn't leave off on good terms, so she doubted that he wanted to see her. Pushing the thoughts away forcefully, she looked at her daughter. A silver and white tabby. Venus groomed the she-kit sadly. The kit looked so much like her father. She looked each of the four kits over.

"Jet," She said, looking at the ginger-brown tom.

"Song," She looked at the she-kit.

"Ebony," She looked at the black tom.

"Rex," Finally she looked at her runt, the one who looked so much like Sand. She felt like she was on the verge of crying.

"I promise to whatever ancestors are out there that I will love you. I will love you as much as I love your father and I will never abandon you until it's time for you to grow up and move on to your own homes," She gave each of them a caring lick. "I will never let anything hurt you. Ever."

* * *

 _ **It's not my best, but it's better than I thought it was going to turn out.**_

 _ **Venus belongs to me.**_

 _ **Echo, Jet, Song, Rex, and Ebony don't really belong to anyone. They're just here for this one-shot.**_

 _ **Sand, who was mentioned, belongs to TFM.**_


	2. Haunted

_**I have more stuff** **from my forum We Are The Night. This is more developing a dead character than anything. I'm also attempting to get back to writing dark, so don't ex** **pect a happy ending.**_

 _ **Now, here's Haunted.**_

* * *

Rabbitpaw bounded after her mentor. Ahead of her, Icetalon, the snowy white tom set to train her in the ways of Patrol Guards, padded on, ignoring Rabbitpaw's seemingly endless energy.

"What are we gonna to today?" She asked, moving quickly to keep up with the taller cat. Icetalon glanced at the small she-cat before looking back ahead.

"We're going to train. What else do you expect?" His tone was unfriendly, though, Rabbitpaw noticed that the tom had taken her out of camp to train more often. The she-cat spent less and less time with her best friend, Fogstream. She had been best friends with the gray tabby since she was only one moon and he was four, so it felt strange to be spending less time with him and more time with her rather intimidating mentor.

"Alright.." She finally responded, though she wasn't really enthused about it. Icetalon seemed aware by the glance he passed her, but he didn't say a word. As they arrived a poppy field, things felt... Off, somehow, to Rabbitpaw. It felt oppressive, dark, like it did before a big storm. Though there was not a cloud in the sky, the sun didn't seem as bright as it usually was on a usual, nice warmleaf day.

 _What's going on?_ Rabbitpaw wondered, feeling a cold chill go through her. Icetalon seemed different, too. His pelt seemed darker than its usual snow-white colour and there was an evil feeling to his presence. Ripe with fear, Rabbitpaw took a frightened step away from her mentor.

"I-Icetalon?"

"You made the wrong choice." That's when memories flashed through Rabbitpaw's mind. She remembered this day now, she remembered what had happened. This was a lot like the day Icetalon had demanded she be his mate when she became a full patrol guard, the day she denied, the day he killed her. Rabbitspring forced herself to turn and start running. However, no matter how fast she ran, he seemed faster. She felt Icetalon pounce on her, his claws digging into her pelt. He was about to kill her.

 _Star Watchers, please save me!_

* * *

Rabbitspring snapped awake, her breathing heavily and her body trembling. Looking around, she relaxed when she found she was in Star Watcher territory, safe from Icetalon. She laid her head down and let out a quiet sigh. Even in her dreams she wasn't completely safe from his evil. She glanced down at her paws that laid in front of her. He had trained her to fight to kill, even though the code forbid killing unless it meant to protect the Clan. Finally getting up, she trembled a little, the nightmare making her a little weaker from the shock.

 _It's safe here... But for how long?_ She frowned as she remembered the attempted raids from the Shadow Place. Though he had never seen Icetalon among them, she noticed one of the young toms there fought a lot like her former mentor. She knew deep down that it meant Icetalon had been training the tom and each time he seemed to know more and more that her mentor taught her, which meant the snowy tom hadn't faded away yet. Stretching, Rabbitspring pushed the thoughts away for now. She didn't want to bother anyone with knowing what she had been through. Taking in a deep breath, she headed to where the other cats usually were.

* * *

 _ **Rabbitspring and Icetalon are mine.**_

 _ **Fogstream [mentioned] is TFM's.**_


	3. I Always Loved You

_**Yes, a lot of updates one one day.**_

 _ **This is from the current challenge of We Are The Night.**_

 _ **That's all I'm saying.**_

 _ **Here's I Always Loved You.**_

* * *

The roar of battled surrounded Nightpaw. His shoulder stung as blood poured out of the fresh wound. In front of the tom was Mothfrost, his former Clanmate before Russetstar had created VineClan to escape the evils of DuskClan that had lingered after Petalstar's bloody rule. He crouched low, ready to fight the powerful pale brown and white tabby. Leopardstripe and Hawktail's training both rang in his ears, disorientating him a bit. While he was distracted by the chaos in his mind, he felt a sharp blow in his side. Mothfrost had attacked him. He skidded across the ground, but managed to stop before he hit a tree. Getting to his paws he charged at the older tom, unsheathing his claws and pouncing. He managed to land a blow between Mothfrost's green eyes. The tom let out an angered cry.

 _I-I think that only made him angery..._ Nightpaw thought as he tried to catch him breath. Mothfrost narrowed his eyes on the black tom.

"You're going to regret that, Nightpaw." Mothfrost hissed, digging his claws into the soft ground beneath his paws. He charged at Nightpaw. The black tom went to dodge, but his shoulder gave out on him. The cut was deeper than the tom had originally thought. Flinching, Nightpaw shut his eyes tightly. He was never going to become a full patroller, he was never going to spend any more time with Dawnbreeze, he was never going to be able to tell Rosepaw how much he loved him. When Nightpaw didn't feel Mothfrost's claws, he opened his eyes. Mothfrost was standing in shock over a familiar silver-gray tabby pelt that lay limp in front of Nightpaw.

"Ashbird!" Nightpaw cried out, his eyes widened in horror as he looked at his mother as she lay bleeding out in front of him. Mothfrost fled from the scene as Nightpaw walked up to his mother. "A-Ashbird.."

"Nightpaw.." Ashbird rasped weakly, the long-furred tabby looking over at the tom. "T-thank the Star Watchers... That you're safe..."

"W-why? Why did you save me? I-I thought you hated me..."

"Oh, my beautiful k-kit, I could... Could never hate you..."

"B-but then why, why did you leave me when I told you I was your son and not you d-daughter?"

"B-because.. I.. I thought you.. You hated me... D-denied be-being my kit to-" Ashbird coughed up a bit of blood on the ground. "J-just know.. A-all this time, I... I loved you Nightpaw... I-I always loved you... A-and you will always be my k-kit, whether y-you're my son or my dau-daught..."

But before Ashbird stopped moving before she could finish saying 'daughter'. Nightpaw could hardly hold back the pain that dug into his heart.

"A-Ashbird.. Ashbird p-please, please wake up... Ashibrd... M-mother..." But she didn't move. Her eyes were dull and lifeless. Breaking down in sobs, he barely managed to be able to close her eyes. Anger built up inside of him. Anger towards Mothfrost for killing her. Anger towards the Star Watchers for letting her die. Anger towards himself for not being able to help her. Around him he could hear the rest of DuskClan fleeing from the fight. VineClan had won.

But he didn't care.

* * *

Two days had passed and now Nightpaw was standing before Russetstar, about to receive his full name. However, before his ceremony, he had managed to get a word in with the flame-coloured tom.

"I, Russetstar, have seen this apprentice train to be the best patroller they can be. For their effort and hard work, they will join the rank of their mentor and no longer be an apprentice. Now, Nightpaw, are you ready for the responsibility of being a patroller?" Nightpaw didn't need to think twice about his answer.

"Yes, sir."

"Then, with the power that the Star Watchers invested in me, you will be known as Nightbird. We all value your determination and we hope you serve your Clan well." Russetstar dipped his head at Nightbird and Nightbird dipped his head back as the cheers of his Clanmates sounded in his ears as they called his new name, the name he had chosen to honour Ashbird's memory. She may not have been a great mother, but in the end, she had saved him. It was the least he could do for her.

* * *

 _ **Ashbird, Mothfrost, Nightpaw, and Russetstar[nose] are mine.**_

 _ **Dawnbreeze [mentioned] is Amber's.**_

 _ **Rosepaw [mentioned] is TFM.**_


	4. Wonderfully Broken - Gift

_**So, today is the birthday of one of my friends from WatN. For her birthday, I wanted to a one-shot just for her.**_

 _ **So, here it is: Wonderfully Broken.**_

* * *

He was never interested in love.

Not at first, that is.

No, what mattered was what the Star Watchers had in mind for the Clan and healing his Clanmates.

However, when he saw signs pointing to her, he was taken by surprise.

They wanted him to find love.

So, he tried.

It was wonderful.

They would spend a lot of time with each other.

He, a herb cat, and her, a hunter.

Though they had duties to do, they found time for each other.

All the time they spent, every second, was well-spent.

It was wonderful.

He had never thought he would ask the leader and deputy for a mate.

Making emotional connections wasn't for him.

But there he was, asking to take this she-cat for his mate.

His heart sped up, a new sensation, when they agreed.

That moment was wonderful.

He remembered being in the nursery as she gave birth, his apprentice by his side.

There were two.

But only one got a chance at life.

She was heartbroken.

She saw this as an omen.

Despite the live he still had to give, she left him.

Without her, he felt broken.

He watched her fall in love again with another tom.

They were no longer mates.

It hurt to watch her happy, but he could do nothing.

It was her choice.

During this time, he never admitted that he was broken.

He remembered her being in the nursery again.

She was having the tom's kit.

When it was over, the kit was born healthy.

There was only one.

He was happy for her, despite the pain in his heart.

It was a miracle.

It was wonderful.

But he hurt.

He was broken.

* * *

 _ **It wasn't meant to be long.**_

 _ **Anyway, I like it.**_

 _ **The Cat's POV is Wrenbelly, who is mine.**_

 _ **The 'she' is Whiteheart, who belongs to Silver.**_

 _ **The 'other tom' is Woollyspots, who belongs to Fennel.**_

 _ **This was made for Silver's birthday. Though I said it before, happy birthday, Silver!**_


	5. For You

_**Okay, here's another WatN one-shot for the challenges.**_

 _ **Here's For You.**_

* * *

As the cool twilight air sent a small, cold breeze through the forest, a dark ginger tom slipped through the darkness. His mind was heavy as he tried to come to terms with the thoughts bubbling in his mind, the flowing feelings making it hard for him to sleep. He glanced back towards the camp.

 _I'm sure Russetstar won't notice I'm gone._ He thought, his pale green eyes flickering with many mixed emotions. He had no clue how his brother still felt about him with all that's happened since VineClan was formed. Of course, he was surprised his brother even let him join. Though, he did like the feeling of being known as Redpelt again, rather than Red. Realizing that he had spaced out, the powerful tom continued his walk. He knew his friend was probably waiting for him.

 _Friend..._ Redpelt frowned at the word. Did he still consider Sand a friend? He felt his heart twist, his new-found emotions towards the sandy-coloured tom still foreign and hard to comprehend. Never before had he felt this was towards a tom. Ever since he left to join his brother, Russetstar, he noticed the emptiness in his heart from not seeing his rogue friend he had made during his exile. With the fog in his mind un-lifting, he almost didn't notice he made it to the moor. Coming to a realization he glanced around, searching for the other tom. Finally his pale green eyes met the mismatched ones of his friend.

"Sand," He greeted with a purr. "It's good to see you again."

"It's good to see you again, too, Red," The sand-coloured tom responded with a faint purr. "I almost thought you forgot about me."

Red rolled his eyes and playfully cuffed the rogue's ear.

"Like I'd forget you."

"Like I'd let you forget." Sand joked. The two toms sat in the darkness, tossing jokes and laughing with each other. As their laughter died down, Redpelt found himself staring at Sand. His hear felt faint as he bitterly remembered that the sandy tom was meeting with Softfeather, his Clanmate, every night.

 _Why doesn't he like me like he likes her?_

"... okay?" Redpelt's snapped back to reality when he heard the end of Sand's question.

"Huh?"

"Are you okay, Red? You look down." Concern took over Sand's features. Redpelt forced a smile.

"I'm fine. I just miss hanging out with you like this."

"You can still leave your Clan and return to the moor." Sand reminded. Redpelt gave a small nod, but look down at his paws.

"I know, but.."

"They need you." Sand finished. Redpelt looked up again. His throat felt dry.

"Y-yeah.." The sandy tom didn't look too happy with the answer, but when Redpelt offered a smile, he smiled back. "But, just because they need me, doesn't mean I won't find time for you."

 _I'd do anything for you, Sand..._

"I'm going to hold you to that." Sand said, a small glint in his eye.

"I don't doubt it." Redpelt purred light-heartedly.

 _I'd do anything... Because.. I-I think I'm in love you, Sand._

* * *

 ** _Red/Redpelt and Russetstar [mentioned] belong to me._**

 ** _Sand belongs to TFM._**

 ** _Softfeather [mentioned] belongs to Silver._**


	6. Leopardwing's Struggle

Leopardwing padded back to camp, their very dark gray pelt shining softly in the faint sunlight that managed to sneak past the pale gray clouds. In their jaw, clamped tightly, was a fat squirrel. It may have been their only catch of the day, but they were proud of it, since it had been on a solo hunt with no help. As they entered camp, they noticed something strange in the air. Today felt… Different. Leopardwing was surprised to just notice this, too, since they were normally observant. As they dropped off their prey in the large fresh-kill pile, they glanced around camp.

Mintfeather was teaching his new apprentice, Maplepaw, some basic fighting moves. Though the silver tom looked nervous still, Maplepaw seemed unfazed. The young calico had a glow of excitement in her golden eyes. It reminded Leopardwing of the time they had first gotten Mistyheart. The she-cat had been really happy while Leopardwing had worried that the blue-gray she-cat wouldn't like them for who they were. Not many cats agreed or liked that Leopardwing was non-binary, but Mistyheart hadn't cared. She was just happy to have a great hunter as her mentor.

Looking away from one camp guard, Leopardwing's gaze caught another. Russetnose. The flame-coloured tom had looked so miserable since Ivysnow was exiled. Leopardwing could never call such a kind she-cat by a rogue name, even if it was just Snow. Looking closer, Leopardwing grew concerned. The tom appeared much thinner than Leopardwing ever remembered him being.

 _That poor tom…_ The dark tabby's heart clinched slightly. He truly missed her, much like Ashwhisker, Ivysnow's brother, did. However, unlike Ashwhisker, Russetnose didn't seem to want to talk about what was bothering him. In fact, he's isolated himself more and more.

Next, Leopardwing looked at a returning patrol. Rosefrost and Nightsong were towards the front. Behind them walked Mothfrost, Palewing, Hawktail, Archleap, Firepelt, and-

"Who is that?"

"He doesn't look or smell familiar…"

"He's handsome, though…"

Whispers of their Clanmates surrounded Leopardwing. However, they couldn't keep their eyes off the stranger, a black and ginger tom. There was something… Strange about him… Leopardwing couldn't put their paw on it. There was also something off about the cats on the patrol. Their gazes looked distant and unsettling, as if they were just staring into nothing. Looking around, Leopardwing shuddered as they realized this look was slowly coming over all of their Clanmates. As the patrol came to a stop, Petalstar stepped out of the nursery, her two sons at her paws, peering out curiously.

"Who is this?" The brown and white tabby she-cat demanded. The stranger stepped forward.

"My name is Marco. I've come here looking for a place called DuskClan." Petalstar made a face at his funny name, but still listened. Slowly, the strange, distant look came over her eyes, too.

"This is DuskClan. Do you wish to join us, Marco?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then let me call a Clan meeting. Of course, you're name will have to change."

Marco gave a small nod. "I understand."

As cats gathered around, Leopardwing found themself unwilling to move. There was something _wrong_ with this tom. They glanced towards their brothers, Lightningfrost and Hawktail. However, both toms seemed to be overtaken by the strange eyes. So did Vixentalon and Willowflower, two she-cats Leopardwing spent most of their time with. Even Mistyheart had the strange look in her eyes.

 _Who is he and what's wrong with my Clanmates?_ Panic rose in Leopardwing's chest, their light green eyes flickering in worry. While they were distracted by their worry, they realized the ceremony was almost over.

"Then, no longer will you be called Marco. You will now be known as…" A strange glow filled Marco's eyes and soon filled Petalstar's. "Solarflare."

 _Solarflare?! What kind of name is that?! What even is a solar or a flare?_ Leopardwing bit their tongue to stop from saying it out loud.

"You will help the Clan by training as a patrol guard."

"Solarflare! Solarflare!" The tom's unusual and ridiculous new name was called to the Star Watchers by all but Leopardwing. They figured something was up and they were going to get to the bottom of this. As the ceremony ended, everyone crowded around the new tom. Even Russetnose, Rosefrost, Rosehollow, and Waspaw, who were a group that would never do so. For a second, Leopardwing and Solarflare locked eyes. He frowned slightly, as if he was confused by something. Thankfully, he was distracted when Doveflight asked him something. Leopardwing quickly left camp to do some thinking.

* * *

Quite some time had passed since Leopardwing left. The dark tabby really didn't want to return to camp. Not with Marc- _Solarflare_ there. To pass time, the hunter decided to do that they did best. Hunt. They were crouched low, stalking a mouse, when a noise startled both the feline and the mouse. Annoyed, but not angry, they turned to see who it was. They were not thrilled when they saw the ginger and black tom standing before them.

"Can I help you?" Leopardwing asked, unable to stop themself from sounding bitter. Solarflare looked rather offended.

"I was just coming to see if you needed any help. I haven't seen you in camp since the ceremony." His words were laced with kindness, but not concern. This made Leopardwing suspicious.

"A patrol guard helps a patrol, not a single Clanmate," The dark tabby said simply. "Besides, I've hunted on my own a lot more often than this."

"Well, if I'm being entirely honest, that's not my only reason being here." The ginger, black, and white tom admitted. The dark tabby frowned.

"What's your other reason."

Before Leopardwing got their answer, they were startled when Solarflare took a step closer to examine them. He padded around her cautiously and curiously.

"You're an odd she-cat." Leopardwing bristled at those words.

"Don't call me a she-cat." They hissed under their breath. Solarflare gave Leopardwing a strange look, but didn't say anything on the matter. He stopped circling and sat in front of them.

"That obviously can't be it..." He muttered.

"What can't be it?"

"You being like that Nightsong cat. However, unlike her, I doubt you want others to consider you a tom."

"No, I don't..." Leopardwing was becoming more and more fed up with this stranger for more reasons than one. "What are you getting at, anyway?"

"You're not under my control."

"What?" Leopardwing bristled, unsure why Solarflare sounded so calm when he said that.

"You're not under my control," He repeated. "Obviously you've noticed something different about your Clanmates."

"That was you?"

He nodded.

"I've learned I could been any cat to my whim with my power..." Solarflare stopped for a moment to consider what he said. "Well, almost any. You were the first cat I've come across who I've been unable to control."

"Your... Power?" They asked, feeling rather confused. Taking a careful step away from the tom, Leopardwing didn't know what to expect for his answer. Solarflare rolled his eyes.

"What, are you expecting me to tell you?" He asked and quickly scoffed. "I'm not as stupid as you may think I am."

 _Well isn't he confident?_ A bitter voice sounded in the back of Leopardwing's mind.

"What do you want with my Clanmates?" They demanded, getting fed up with this game he was playing. The tom flicked his tail.

"None of your business."

"Why won't you answer my questions? If they're really under your control, then you have nothing to fear from me."

Solarflare approached, his green eyes flashing a reddish colour for a second.

"But you are, Leopardwing. You're not under my control. This has never happened before." He hissed, his voice loud enough to reach the dark tabby's ears and no further. With that, the black and ginger tom turned his back. However, the hunter wasn't going to let him get away. Even if they weren't a good fighter, they would do anything to protect DuskClan. In a moment, they leaped at the strange tom, but he turned quickly and his large paw contacted with their jaw. Letting out a squeak of pain, they fell to the ground, but quickly got on their paws.

" _Don't_ try that again unless you have a death wish," He spat. His eyes flashed red again. "I'll make sure you still regret this time, though."

With that, he left.

* * *

"What's wrong with her?"

"Leopardwing's so weird."

"Who does she think she is?"

Leopardwing feel anger boil in their belly. Solarflare had turned the entire Clan against them, even having her close friends whisper behind their back, calling them by their birth gender. Even Nightsong seemed to be acting strangely. He no longer responded to being called a tom. He also seemed less interested in spending time with his friends, Rosefrost and Dawnbreeze.

Then again, everyone seemed to want to be near him. It was very annoying to the dark tabby. No one was acting like themselves. However, they now had an idea to free their friends and Clanmates. They did everything to get on Solarflare's good side for an entire moon and a half, even pretending to seem interested in him. After a while, it seemed to be working. So, finally, they decided to put their plan into action. They approached the ginger and black tom.

"Would you like to go hunting?" They asked.

"Oh?"

"I thought some fresh air outside of camp would be good for us."

"Well, then, lead the way." He didn't seem suspicious like he had been around them before. No, he sounded like he trusted the tabby hunter. Which was good.

As they walked out of the camp, they found themselves deep in the forest, nearing the territory that branched into the deeper woods. Their stomach twisted sadly as they eyess brushed past the border. Two patrollers, Mudpelt and Rainheart, had been murdered here, and now this nightmare of a tom will, too. Returning to their act, the dark tabby sniffed the air.

"I can scent a mouse over there." They told the strange tom quietly, flicking their tail towards a old shrub that rested right next to the border. Solarflare dropped to the ground and stalked towards it. In a flash he was gone. He returned seconds later with the mouse. It looked old and weak, but they still acted amazing.

"Nice catch." They purred. The tom puffed out his white chest.

"It wasn't that hard." He purred.

 _Please, a camp guard could have caught that._ Keeping the bitter thought back, they went on to sniff out a finch. However, as he went to crouch, Leopardwing decided now was the perfect time. They struck, using their agile form to quickly reach him and bite his throat before he even knew what was going on. He yowled loudly, his cry sending flocks of birds fluttering off in confusion and fear. Leopardwing threw the bleeding tom to the ground and glared down at him.

"You-" He spat before coughing up blood. "How dare you."

The nearly black tabby lashed their tail.

"Don't underestimate the power of a loyal DuskClan hunter." They growled before sinking their claws into his throat. They held their paw there until he went still. Removing their now bloody paw, they used all their strength to drag the tom past DuskClan territory and into rogue territory. Abandoning the now lifeless body near an old fox den, they hurried off to clean themselves. Following the edge of the territory to the stream that ran through DuskClan, they washed the blood from their paws and muzzle. Looking down and their reflection, the hunter felt sick. They had never killed a cat before.

 _You had to do it. For DuskClan._ But their gaze grew worried. How many cats in the Shadow Place probably had said that? That they _had_ to kill someone? Feeling natious, Leopardwing returned to camp. Everyone seemed to be themselves. Well, themselves, but confused. That was to be expected after all. No one had any memories of what happened except looking into the eyes of a weird tom.

Deciding they didn't want the glory, they joined in the ignorance.

Maybe it was for the best that no one remembered Solarflare.

* * *

 _ **So, this was for a Gary Stu challenge on WatN.**_

 ** _You had to pick a character and a Mary Sue/Gary Stu joined the Clan. The character in unaffected by their strange mind control._**

 ** _I'm not super proud of this, but I'm not ashamed._**


	7. Love's Pain

_**Where I could be working on the rewritten version of Darktail's Tales, instead I decided to work on a one-shot from my forum.**_

 _ **This one follows one of my characters, Cricketpelt, around the time of his death.**_

 _ **I don't know why I wanted to write this, but I just kinda felt inspired to.**_

* * *

The wind whispered through the trees, the colours of fallenleaves having taken full effect. Though in most places, the wind was the only thing heard, a small clearing was bustling with young, excited, energetic kits. Though there were older cats watching peacefully, they seemed to be more busy planning their day or just enjoying the calm weather the day had brought them. Among these cats was a brown and white tabby, his yellow eyes hiding back the growing, sharp, relentless pain that tore at his belly. Walking with him, away from the herb cat den, was a ginger and white she-cat, a stubborn worry glistening in her blue eyes.

"Cricketpelt, you know I don't like it when you go on patrols without my say-so!" Though the tom rarely saw the herb cat this upset, he still offered a smile, as if the constant pain was of no concern.

"Come on now, Brightsong, you know I'm not going to slow down my duties over a little pain." He said, his voice kind. Brightsong met the patroller's optimism with a frustrated sigh.

"Is it really only a little pain?" She almost sounded like she was challenging the tom. "Just the other day you couldn't even stand on your own four paws and now you're only telling me it was only _a little_ pain?"

The good-tempered tom wasn't fazed, though the worry for his well-being probably was needed.

"The parsley is helping already." He promised, though it was far from the truth. The pain was still there, but he didn't want it to be any more of the herb cat's concern. Brightsong didn't look like she believed him for a moment, seeing as none of the other treatments she had put together worked before.

"Just stop by again before night. I want to check up with how you're doing." He nodded in agreement. With that, the two parted ways, with the herb cat going to check on the queens who were still inside the nursery. As he began to walk to the patroller den, he heard tiny pawsteps charging to him.

"Get the intruder!" The tom barely had time to turn before two little bundles of fluff tackled into him. Despite the sharp claws of the pain digging into him, he still played along and fell over to the side. As he expected, his 'attackers' were Hailkit and Harekit, his precious little kits. Hailkit was pouncing on his tail, his tiny white pelt fluffing out in surprise when Cricketpelt moved his tail. Meanwhile, Harekit stood on the tom's shoulder, nipping at his ear.

"Ah, I'm under attack by such fearsome cats! Whatever shall I do?" He cried out dramatically before laying his head down on the ground. "Please, spare this old tom."

Harekit fluffed out her chest, blue eyes shining brightly.

"Hailkit, should we spare this trespasser?" She asked, turning towards her brother. Not expecting the brown and white she-cat to address him, the little white kit was caught off-guard for a brief moment and looked at her with confusion.

"Um... Yes?" He answer was a bit hesitant and unsure. Harekit contemplated for a moment before, ungracefully, taking a tiny jump off of her father.

"Then I, Harestar, with spare you this time! I hope you know better than to mess with DuskClan!"

"Oh, mighty Harestar, I will never trespass on DuskClan territory again." He bowed his head to the small she-kit. From nearby, he heard a familiar laugh.

"Alright, you two, go play with the other kits," Cricketpelt looked to see his mate, Batheart, walking up to the three of them. The tom couldn't help but smile when he saw the black smoke queen. Even now, he had a hard time believing he was so lucky to have a mate like her. Getting to his paws, he watched as she lightly nudged them towards the other playing kits. "Besides, I think I see a couple of intruders resting near the elder's den. Go get backup."

The kits took off, Harekit going much faster than her brother. As the two ran off, Batheart passed Cricketpelt a smile, which he gladly returned.

"I see it's as busy as ever with those two." The tom joked, Batheart shook her head.

"You have no idea. With so many kits in the nursery, and more on the way, I'm surprised it's not even more chaotic. I can't wait until I'm out of there and can get back to being a hunter."

Cricketpelt nodded in agreement, his gaze falling on the kits who were out playing. Even Swiftgaze's daughter, who was only a moon old, was outside, though it was obvious that little Owlkit was a bit too shy to socialize. He also couldn't help but notice Leafkit, Crowkit, and Beetlekit, who had came in a couple of moons ago with their uncle, Luka, though the tom had now been given the name Blacksun. He was pleased to see they were fitting in just fine. Glancing at his mate, he noticed that her amber eyes were dull and tired. The tom gave her a lick on the ear.

"Go get some rest. I'll look out for Hailkit and Harekit. You deserve some shut eye." Her expression quickly changed to concern as she looked towards the tom.

"What about you, Cricketpelt? Don't act like Brightsong hasn't been keeping me updated on how you're doing."

Cricketpelt shook his head as he said; "There's no need to worry, Batheart. I'm not going to let some silly little pain stop me from spending time with our kits."

The look in her eyes told him how badly she wanted to argue with him, to tell him he needed to rest, but something stopped her.

"I'm only going to get some quick rest and I'll be right back. Please don't go hurting yourself." Cricketpelt nuzzled her and gave her a comforting lick on the cheek. He pulled back slightly to look her in the eye.

"Everything will be alright. I promise."

* * *

Time passed slowly, but smoothly. Cricketpelt was enjoying himself a mouse as he watched the kits listen to the elders tell stories of times before the Clan, the colors of sunset approaching the sky. However, even during this peace, a saddening thought came into the tom's mind as he watched them.

He didn't need Brightsong's constant reminders to tell him he was dying. He knew that every morning he got up and felt a sickening pain rip through him. However, it wasn't going to stop them from doing his best to fill Hailkit and Harekit's memories with nothing but joy. All he wanted was for his family, including Batheart's other son, Stormtooth, to be happy.

 _Star Watchers, don't let my passing hurt them too much._ His gaze became somber as he thought of how there was that chance that he wouldn't be there to see them become apprentices, or how he wouldn't be there by Batheart's side. Would his family be okay, even after he was gone?

 _Yes, of course they will._ The tom reckoned. _Batheart's a tough cat and I have no doubts that our kits are just as tough as her._

That thought put the sore tom's mind to ease and he smiled, confident that they would be just fine, though he knew deep down that he would miss them. From nearby he heard approaching pawsteps.

"Did they give you any trouble?" Batheart asked as she sat next to him. Cricketpelt shook his head.

"Their 'intruders' decided it was story time not too long ago, so they're listening to the story of Duskstar."

"And what about you?" Her eyes were still firm with concern.

"No need to worry, Batheart," He promised with a purr. "Brightsong's a smart herb cat. Remember, Wrenbelly himself mentored her."

She didn't seem too reassured, not even when he offered a comforting smile. The tom rested his pelt against hers, as he continued to try to ease her mind.

"Everything will be fine. I'll be here for you and the kits no matter what."

Though he wasn't sure if that had helped or not, he felt her pressed back against him. He gave her a loving and comforting lick between her ears. What he said was the truth, however. No matter what happened, he would be there, by their side, for as long as his paws could carry him.


	8. A Moth's Storm

**_I wanted to do this to work on a character's backstory._**

 ** _Mothfrost is a tough cat: A former rogue who doesn't allow himself to get close to others. Though he eventually does and ends up having a daughter with Clan cat, Swiftgaze, this is not that story. This takes place before he even meets Swiftgaze._**

* * *

Rain cascaded down, wind yowling angrily as a large tom raced down the hard, gray twoleg stones. A loud, deafening crack echoed through his ears and a flash of bright light broke the sky into two for just a moment. Even with the wild rains falling endlessly, the tom jumped over a wooden fence, the weight of the water almost knocking him off balance. Stumbling down the other side, he found a small twoleg nest-shaped den. As he stepped in, he noticed that there was the stale scent of dog. Shaking his pelt, the tom still felt the heavy water droplets clinging to his fur. His pale brown and white tabby pelt clung tightly to his bulky, muscular form. Looking around, he saw old, torn nesting. Sniffing it, the tom gagged as the musty scent overtook his senses for a split moment. The red walls weren't any more inviting, it's colour dull and the red falling away to reveal the slowly rotting wood underneath. As he made his way to the only corner of the wooden nest that the bedding didn't occupy, a couple of water droplets slipped in from the outside. Looking up, the tom realized that the overhead part of the nest had a small crack in it. As his gaze moved, he noticed a couple other cracked places. He growled slightly.

 _It's better than being stuck in the rain._ He reasoned with himself, though the scent of dog was getting to him. Frustrated, yet tired, he curled up in the corner and closed his eyes, hoping to get some rest before the storm passed. He still needed to get to his sister.

* * *

 _"Moth, hurry up!" Blooming Poppy called, her black pelt bristled in frustration. Moth blinked as he realized he had zoned out while watching the fish that swam just in paws reach. He glanced over at his sister, who stood next to their other two siblings, Butterfly and Loud Hawk. The pale brown and white tabby raced over to his siblings, sending the startled fish away from the shallows where the four siblings were. "Do you have fluff in your ears? Mom and Dad told us to keep going."_

 _"I'm moving," The big tom snapped, his heart wincing as he remembered Tiny Bird and Dust. "Besides, there's no way those cats are still following us. It's been, what, six days?"_

 _"Seven," Loud Hawk corrected. Moth narrowed his eyes on his brown tabby brother, but Loud Hawk wasn't bothered. "And, until we hit the twolegplace, we're not stopping, so move it."_

 _Moth hissed. The two locked eyes; Moth's narrowed greens against his brother's unimpressed copper ones. However, before either tom could move or even speak, the smallest of the siblings stood between them. Butterfly's amber eyes were wide as she separated her brothers. Both tabbies took a step back, their gazes now on the tiny brown tortoiseshell._

 _"We don't need fighting right now." She pleaded, glancing between them. Loud Hawk was the first one to give in. He looked away, his unimpressed look fading into a more blank expression. Soon after Moth, too, caved. He let his pelt flatten and looked away, though his eyes were still narrow. This seemed to please Butterfly as she glanced over to Blooming Poppy, though the solid black she-cat seemed too anxious to even notice. She had been staring back where they came from. Moth lightly nudged his sister, causing her to nearly jump. Fear turned to annoyance as she narrowed her eyes on the large tom for just a moment._

 _"Let's continue moving." She said, her tone turning cold. So, the four continued to move. Suddenly, a weird feeling hit Moth's belly. He stopped, but his siblings didn't seem to notice. The feeling hit again, like a paw hitting his belly. Looking towards his siblings for help, he noticed they seemed to be fading away into smoke. Surprised, he ran towards them, but never caught up. Finally, there was one last prod._

* * *

Moth snapped awake, jerking his head up. As he did, he almost headbutted the tiny tortoiseshell standing over him. She jumped back in surprise. As their eyes met, Moth let out a sigh.

"It's only you." Butterfly gave him a confused look when he said that.

"Where you expecting someone else?"

He shook his head.

"Just jumpy," There was a moment of silence. "I dreamed of them, again... Of Loud Hawk and Blooming Poppy."

Butterfly lightly placed her nose on his head before pulling back.

"I know. I miss them, too."

Something bitter twitched in his heart as he heard Butterfly say that. However, he stopped himself from speaking. It wasn't her fault. Instead, he got to his paws. Outside he saw a light drizzle and he didn't hear the screeching winds of earlier. However, it was night now. His gaze went back to his sister. He bitterly noticed how her belly was slightly swollen. He snapped his mind away. It was her choice to have kits with _him_.

"So, why did you want me to come so far into the twolegplace?" He asked, locking eyes with the tortoiseshell.

"Oh! Yeah! It's Ty-"

Moth let out a low growl of frustration, which caught his sister off guard.

"I swear, if that no good-"

"Moth, please just hear Typhoon out this one time!" She pleaded. The tom narrowed his eyes on his sister. So, this was the tom's trick, huh? Sending his sister, knowing he wouldn't hurt her like he did the other messengers? His claws unsheathed for a moment, but he let out a sigh.

" _Fine_."

Butterfly relaxed.

"Thank you."

"Let's just go." His tone was cold, but that didn't seem to bother her one bit.

* * *

The two walked for what seemed like moons. It finally came to an end as they approached a dead end of a narrow ally. Moth frowned when he realized no one was there. He walked a little further into the ally.

"There's no one-" Moth stopped himself as he turned back to his sister. Behind her was a familiar cat. A tom with stormy gray tabby fur and startling golden eyes. "Typhoon."

The rogue was grinning as Butterfly stood by his side. The tortoiseshell held a disappointed expression, aimed at the pale tabby.

"Thank you, Butterfly." The tabby purred, licking between the tortoiseshell's ears. She purred in response. The tom then turned to Moth.

"So nice to see you again, Moth. Hope you've been doing well?" The suave tone of the long-furred tom was laced with a dangerous edge. Behind the two, cats gathered, though they seemed to keep a safe distance.

"What's this about?" Moth hissed. Typhoon's eyes narrowed.

"Justice," A ginger she-cat stepped up behind Typhoon and Butterfly. His ears were so shredded that they could hardly be called ears and there was so much fur missing him his scarred face. At the she-cat's neck was a chunk of fur missing and scarred bite marks. Typhoon looked from the ginger cat to Moth. "Do you remember who this cat is, Moth?"

Moth shrugged. He honestly wasn't very good with names and faces.

"My name's Ruby, you heartless-!" The outraged she-cat was silenced by Typhoon.

"You see, Ruby here was sent to recruit you, under my request. She was the same one who brought me my mate here, Butterfly," Moth growled lightly at the reminder. "And, what did you do when she insisted you come by?"

"I gave her a reminder to leave me alone." He spat.

"A reminder?!" Ruby spat. "Is that also what you call what you did to Froggy?!"

Moth racked his mind to remember which one was Froggy. All he could come up with was the black and white tom who he ended up killing when he tried to chase him off. However, he was unsure, since that cat wasn't the only one he killed from Typhoon's cats. However, the pale tabby didn't have long to overthink that. Typhoon was slowly approaching.

"So, you see, my cats aren't happy with you. The blood of their comrades stain your paws and they don't like that very much."

Moth snorted.

"Maybe your cats should have learned to back off," Moth challenged. "When I said no, I meant it."

Typhoon shook his head.

"You could have just told them you weren't interest-"

"I _did_."

"Oh? Did you?" Typhoon was only a few steps away. "That's not what Ruby told me. She said she offered, just to be met by tooth and claw."

Moth hissed in response.

"Now, as her leader, and the leader of all these cats, I can't just let this go. Butterfly even agrees."

Moth glared at his sister, bristling. Butterfly tried to hold her ground, but eventually shied away from her brother's anger. Before he could open his mouth, Typhoon rammed into Moth. Teeth dug into the large tom's ear. Moth gave a mighty shake, throwing the smaller tom off. However, there was a sharp pain in his ear as he did so. Warm blood started to pour down his ear. Before he had time to spot where Typhoon was, the gray tom leaped on him again. Claws dug into Moth's shoulders and teeth aimed for the neck. However, Moth was quicker. He rolled on his back, his larger former crushing Typhoon under him. He quickly jumped to his paws and turned to the other rogue. Before Typhoon could even get up, Moth pinned him down and raised a paw, his long claws unsheathed. But, Typhoon was expecting this. Flipping over, the tom used his claws to dig into Moth's chest and start tearing out fur. Instead of the fuzzy tom's throat, Moth instead smacked him in the head. Typhoon recovered quickly as Moth tried to get out of the way and protect his belly. Typhoon sank his teeth into Moth's right leg and dragged him onto the ground. Claws dug into Moth's back and he started to tear into the large tom. One claw hooked into Moth's shoulder when he went to turn and throw his assailant off. As he turned, he heard Typhoon yowl in pain. The gray tom jumped back. That's when Moth noticed a bit of blood forming where a claw should be.

With Typhoon distracted by the loss of a claw, Moth saw his chance. He charged at the tom, ready to kill. He pinned Typhoon under his weight, using his body to keep Typhoon's paws from being able to move. He bit down on Typhoon's throat, the gray tom's thick fur almost making him gag. He was about to tear his throat out when a cat slashed him across the back. This startled him enough to cause him to look and see Butterfly. The she-cat was fluffed out in anger. Claws at the ready, she went to strike him again, but the big tom was faster. Moth jumped out of the way, causing her to almost strike Typhoon.

Before she could try again, Moth took off towards the crowd of cats. With most of them frightened or in shock, the hurried out of the way, giving the pale tabby a chance to escape. As he ran, a burning pain started in his shoulder. His mind was in pieces as he came to terms with Butterfly's betrayal. Sudden anger struck him. Her following a tyrant blindly was _not_ what Tiny Bird and Dust would have wanted! It's not what Loud Hawk or Blooming Poppy would have wanted! Through the anger, pain took over. He could feel the blood mixing in with his fur and there was some in his ear. He could be angry later. He needed to find something to stop the bleeding, but what? In the far distance, he saw the slightest bit of trees. The forest. He could go there.

 _"Cobwebs stop bleeding. Just look for spiders."_ Tiny Bird's words echoed in his mind. Something sad and sick twisted in his stomach as his mother's voice rang in his ears. However, if there was anywhere a cat could find spiders, especially away from Typhoon's cats, it was the forest.

* * *

 ** _Not my best work, but it was better than the last... Five or six attempts._**

 ** _I'm ending it here, because after this it's in the hand's of my friend, TFM, who wanted to work on how Moth/Mothfrost and Swiftgaze came together and fell in love._**

 ** _I may post more stories on Moth's past later on to give more of his pre-Clan story._**


	9. Life For A Life

_**A challenge from We Are The Night. A life for a life, based off of those AUs where someone who died ended up living, but at the cost of someone else. My personal favourites from this fandom are Swiftpaw living instead of Brightheart and/or Mistkit and Nightkit living instead of Tigerstar.**_

 _ **The only problem with those AUs is the fact that not many people change things up that much. It's like they just give the character's personality to the other. Maybe pairings change and some names, but that's it.**_

 _ **Anyway, here we trade Rabbitpaw/spring's life for Icetalon. Granted, they both ended up dying that same day, but Icetalon's death was in direct response to Rabbit's murder.**_

 _ **I hope you all enjoy.**_

* * *

Rabbitpaw bounded out of the apprentices' den, the sun barely risen over the horizon. Her amber eyes were shining excitedly as she looked behind her. Her brother, Berrypaw, groggily stepped outside. Overhead, clouds lay scattered in the distance while the sky was alight with the warm, morning colours. Berrypaw, his fur sticking out from a night of tossing and turning in his sleep, shot his sister a tired glare before sitting down to clean out his cream tabby pelt.

"I hope you know that it's not today," He yawned. "We still have a few days before we get our full names."

The patrol guard apprentice giggled, her tail twitching happily.

"I know, Berrypaw. I can't help it! I'm just excited!"

"I can tell." He grumbled as he finished his grooming. Letting out another yawn, he stretched. Out of the apprentice's den came Fuzzypaw, who nearly barreled into the creamy tabby. She was fluffed out in joy.

"Sorry," She mewed quickly before racing off. "Gotta go wake up Crowstrike!"

Rabbitpaw laughed, but Berrypaw let out a frustrated groan as they watched the tan she-cat.

"Thank the Stars I wasn't that annoying!" He mewed rather loudly, shaking his head. He glared after the younger apprentice.

"Please, you were a lot more annoying to your mentor!" Rabbitpaw teased. "You use to wake up _before_ sunrise so you and Shrewfrost could train."

Berrypaw fluffed out his chest.

"Hey, it's not my fault I wanted to be the best! No cat ever became an amazing hunter by just sleeping the morning away!"

"No one became an amazing hunter by waking up before the birds, either." Yawned Briarpaw, the third and final sibling, stepping out of the apprentice's den. The tan tabby padded over towards them. The brown tabby purred at the sight of her sister.

"Morning, Briarpaw!" She chirped.

"Morning, Rabbitpaw," Briarpaw greeted back. "You excited that we're going be warriors soon?"

"You bet!" Rabbitpaw jumped excitedly. From the herb cat den, stumbled out a young gray and black tabby. His ears were flattened slightly as he made his way to the fresh-kill pile.

"You can learn to be a bit quieter this early, you know." The herb cat apprentice mewed bitterly, grabbing a woodpecker from the pile. Rabbitpaw only passed a smile, undeterred by the grumpy tom.

"Sorry, Wrenpaw!" She called over. "I'm just looking forward to-"

"I heard you the first time you were squealing about it."

"Wrenpaw, you could be nicer, you know," Said Silvergorse, the herb cat, as he walked out of the den. He glanced over at the three apprentices with kind blue eyes. "You only become a warrior once, you know."

"You also become an apprentice one." The younger tom replied sharply. Silvergorse gave a nod.

"And you know how excited kits are for that time, too. I remember how you were when Quailstar made you my apprentice."

Wrenpaw looked at his mentor for a moment, as if he was trying to read him, but quickly looked away. Rabbitpaw could tell the herb cat apprentice had nothing to say to that. Within moments, more and more cats woke up and were moving through the camp. Mates greeting each other with sweet words, siblings talked among themselves, and mutuals gave short nods and quick 'morning's. Among them was a young gray tabby tom, who bounded up the three siblings.

"Morning, Fogstream!" Rabbitpaw squeaked happily, her ears fulled perked. Fogstream gave a purr.

"Morning, Rabbitpaw, Berrypaw, Briarpaw," He greeted the three siblings. "How are you doing?"

Berrypaw only responded with a grumble, padding away from the group and towards his mentor. Briarpaw, however, stayed.

"I'm doing good."

"Same here!" Rabbitpaw replied after her sister. Fogstream chuckled. Rabbitpaw never knew why, but she knew Fogstream found her boundless energy amusing, even when they were both in the nursery. Of course, he was three whole moons older than her and her siblings, so he moved out of the nursery before she could, which she didn't like. She enjoyed spending time with Fogstream and she couldn't wait until they both had their full names.

"Rabbitpaw!" A voice called from nearby. Fogstream seemed to freeze up. Of course, the tabby already knew who it was; her mentor, Icetalon. She was never sure why Fogstream disliked him, but she was well aware that the white tom made her friend uncomfortable. The older tom approached the three, his paw steps long and almost graceful. "We're heading out soon, so I suggest you grab something to eat and get ready."

Rabbitpaw gave a sharp nod.

"Yessir!" Her mentor seemed pleased with the response and gave a small nod back.

"As always, I don't expect you to be late."

"I'm never late!" the small tabby said, fluffing out her chest. Icetalon's response was a slight twitch of the ear and a mildly pleased look. With that, he walked off, grabbing something from the fresh-kill pile before settling down in the shade of the holly tree that sat in the middle of camp. Fogstream shook his head.

"I can't wait for you to have your full name." He murmured. Rabbitpaw sensed something in the gray tabby's tone, but unable to place what it was. So, instead, her response was quirky and upbeat.

"I can't wait, either! Now, come on, let's grab something to eat!" She glanced towards Briarpaw, noticing her sister also seemed unsure about Icetalon. It puzzled Rabbitpaw on how all the younger cats she knew seemed so thrown off by him. Yes, he came off as intimidating, but he wasn't all bad. In fact, she dared to even call him a really good mentor. He was proud, smart, and always knew what he was talking about.

The three hurried over, Rabbitpaw grabbing her favourite prey from the fresh-kill pile; chipmunk. She joined Briarpaw and Fogstream, who snatched a meadowlark and vole respectively. The three ate, mostly in silence, though Rabbitpaw was still having a hard time keeping her excitement at bay. As she finished the last of her chipmunk, she glanced up to see Icetalon preparing to leave.

"Oh, I gotta go! We'll talk soon!" She mewed quickly, deposing of the remains of her meal as fast as she could. The small she-cat swiftly made it to the entrance of camp at the same time as Icetalon. "Ready!"

The white tom almost looked impressed at her speed.

"Well, since you're ready, let's go on and head out." With that, the two slid past the opening in the bramble bushes. It didn't take Rabbitpaw long to realize that the two weren't heading to poppy meadow to train. Confused, she looked at her mentor, but followed him silently. That is, until they came to a stop, right next to the old maple tree, right next to the open moorlands.

"Why are we here?"

"Because, Rabbitpaw, there is something I need to talk to you about," Something in her mentor's tone threw her off. It seemed... Dangerous. The white tom continued after overlooking her expression. "You see, you're the only cat here I can trust, Rabbitpaw. For moons I was convinced that everyone in this Clan was tainted with impure hearts. That is, of course, before you."

There was a strange look in his eyes. Now Rabbitpaw was getting really uncomfortable. What was he going on about?

"W-what do you mean?" She tried to hold herself together, to not seem scared, but it wasn't working.

"I only really plan on asking you this once, so do listen," Quickly, Rabbitpaw realized that Icetalon was in front of her and the maple tree was directly behind her. If she were to try to run, he would catch her. "I don't want the evils of this Clan to ruin you, which is why I ask for you to be my mate."

 _What?_

"What?" The word came out of her mouth right as it came to her mind. Icetalon let out a sigh, looking both frustrated and disappointed.

"I really only wanted to say this once, but since you obviously didn't catch it; Rabbitpaw, become my mate before this awful Clan can ruin who you are."

"But DuskClan... DuskClan isn't awful." She tried to argue. Icetalon didn't look impressed.

"It isn't? Rabbitpaw, there's so much blood in this Clan's history that it soaks the very ground and taints everyone who touches it. Don't you see that it's ruined everyone in the Clan? Everyone, except the two of us."

The brown tabby's stomach twisted in disgust. How could he say that about DuskClan? About his own brother and sister? What about her parents, Brighttail and Stormrunner? And about Berrypaw, Briarpaw, or even Fogstream? Was he really calling those she cared about evil? Upset, the apprentice fluffed out.

"You're wrong!" She cried, coming to terms with everything he was saying. "There's nothing wrong with DuskClan! Nothing wrong, except for you! My brother and my sister, as well as everyone else aren't bad cats!"

There was a sudden change in Icetalon, something that scared Rabbitpaw worse than anything she had felt before.

"I see. I guess I'm too late, then, to stop you," Rabbitpaw pressed herself up against the tree. Icetalon's serious blue eyes locked with her frightened amber ones. "There's only one way to stop you from becoming like them now."

In a flash the white tom lunged at the apprentice, claws out and jaws ready to snap down on her neck. Rabbitpaw let out a sharp, frightened squeal as she ducked underneath the lean Patrol Guard. Something in her told her to stand her ground and try to fight him off, but instead, she took off, looking for help. Thankfully, not that far from where she had been with her mentor, Whitefeather was leading a patrol to check the borders.

"Whitefeather!" She called out to the patrol. The white tom looked up quickly. It wasn't long before the small she-cat reached the patrol, slipping behind Whitefeather and Crowstrike, both toms blocking Icetalon from reaching Rabbitpaw. Crowstrike stood closer to Rabbitpaw, his black pelt not even bristling. However, Whitefeather was fluffed up in outrage.

"What is this about, Icetalon?" He hissed, yellow eyes narrowed on his brother. Rabbitpaw felt someone press up against her. Looking, she saw it was Fuzzypaw, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Step side, Whitefeather." Icetalon hissed back.

"Why should I?"

"That apprentice tried to kill me!" At her mentor's words, Rabbitpaw's widened. Whitefeather barely glanced back at her before shooting Icetalon a cold look.

"Do you expect me to believe that _Rabbitpaw_ of all cats was trying to kill you?"

"That apprentice has more tricks than you would believe." Icetalon spat, his blue eyes locked on Rabbitpaw. Frightened, she tried to sink in behind Fuzzypaw, despite the young apprentice being too small. Whitefeather hissed.

"I have no reason to believe you." He challenged. Before things could escalate more, a young Patrol Guard Rabbitpaw knew as Voleleap stepped in.

"We'll let Quailstar hear this story and we'll see what she thinks," She said, her voice usually stern. "Until then, Crowshadow, Whitefeather, you keep Icetalon away from Rabbitpaw. Fuzzypaw, you and Ravenpaw stay close to Rabbitpaw."

The two young apprentices, not even questioning Voleleap's authority, nodded and followed the brown tabby's instructions. Fuzzypaw stood on Rabbitpaw's left, while Ravenpaw stood on her right. Whitefeather even did as he was told, despite being the leader of the patrol, and much older than the young she-cat.

The walk back to camp was silent and rather scary for Rabbitpaw. Not even Fuzzypaw dared to say anything, which was a bit unusual. When they reached camp, Rabbitpaw could hear cats whispering. She heard them mention her name, as well as Icetalon's. Briarpaw tried to run over to Rabbitpaw, concern in her brown eyes, but was stopped by a stern look from Whitefeather. Quailstar, who had been sunning herself, looked towards the patrol in both questioning and concern.

"What's going on?" She demanded, sitting up as soon as she was approached. Whitefeather shot his brother a hostile look.

"Icetalon here was caught chasing down his apprentice, who was obviously frightened, with his claws unsheathed. He tried to claim that Rabbitpaw had been trying to kill him."

"What?!" Briarpaw's voice rang out. Stormrunner, who was sitting next to the tan tabby, placed his tail over his daughter's mouth, shushing her, but was soon vocal himself.

"What kind of accusation is that?" He asked, his eyes narrowing on Icetalon for a moment before looking towards his sister. "Quailstar, you know as well as any cat that Rabbitpaw would never try to kill anyone!"

"I know, Stormrunner," The leader snapped back. ""I wasn't going to accuse her, but I do want to hear both sides of the story."

With that, the brown tabby looked at Rabbitpaw, her eyes matching that of Rabbitpaw's colour.

"Now, Rabbitpaw, can you tell us what happened?" There was a kindness in her voice as she addressed her brother's kit. Rabbitpaw managed a nod. She spoke of how they headed out that morning, but didn't go towards poppy meadow to train. She than explained that, instead, they ended up at the maple tree next to the moors. She did her best to recite everything he had told her, of DuskClan's land being evil and tainted. This earned a few upset hisses and yowls aimed at the Patrol Guard, who was just standing there, calmly. Finally, she told how, when she refused him, he had tried to kill her.

"You rotheart!" Stormrunner yowled, causing other cats to began screeching similar insults. The dark gray tom was moments away from going and striking Icetalon, had it not been for Brighttail getting between her mate and Rabbitpaw's mentor. It was more than obvious the silver and white queen was just as upset as Stormrunner. His amber eyes locked with her green ones. Not once had Brighttail ever done something so bold as to stop someone from attacking. Muttering something under his breath, Stormrunner backed down from Brighttail. She whispered something to him, but Rabbitpaw had no clue what it was. Thankfully, it seemed to calm him down. With that over, Quailstar took over.

"Everyone, calm. We still need to hear Icetalon's side!" She glanced at the Patrol Guard, her eyes stern and her tone serious. "Icetalon. Your turn."

With that, Icetalon spun a tale, how he _was_ taking Rabbitpaw to poppy meadows, when she started acting strangely.

"She looked unwell," He informed Quailstar. "And, being a good mentor, I was concerned for her health. But, as soon as I approached her, she attempted to strike me. Of course, being faster, I thankfully got out of the way. When I tried to defend myself, she noticed my brother and his patrol and took off to frame me. I would never try to kill a cat without reason, Quailstar. Surely you think more highly of a loyal warrior than that."

"Liar!" Stormrunner spat, still being held back by Brighttail, who was bristling herself. "You're about as loyal as a fox!"

An uproar started. Though most cats seemed to side with Rabbitpaw, the small apprentice could hear some cats trying to defend Icetalon. Straining her ears, she couldn't make out the voices who thought her mentor was in the right. There were just so many cats yowling at once. Quailstar jumped on top of the leader's den and lout out a loud yowl.

"Everyone, quiet!" Silence followed quickly. A lot of cats seemed to take a frightened step back and Rabbitpaw could tell right away that Quailstar was rarely this mad. "Now, Icetalon, I have a hard time believing your story. Before today, you've only ever given praise about your apprentice, and not once have you informed me, Whiskerfur, or even Silvergorse of any troubling changes. If Rabbitpaw was as you said, there would have been warning signs."

Icetalon's ears lowered. Whitefeather stepped up quickly.

"I can, confirmed, however, that my brother has changed, but not in any good way," He informed the Clan. Quailstar shot him a dark look for interrupting her, but let him speak. "Some time through our apprenticeship, Icetalon had started to change. He became more cold and his methods became more violent. I have no doubt that he would attempt to kill a cat for his own gains."

"And what gains would you have by killing your own apprentice, Icetalon?" Quailstar hissed, but the tom refused to answer. He stood expressionless, though his eyes were narrowed and fixed on the leader. It was clear to Rabbitpaw that something was going through his mind. Irritated by his silence, the leader jumped down and approached the Patrol Guard. It wasn't long before she was nose-to-nose with him. "Well?"

A lot hiss came from Icetalon before he lashed out at the leader, his claws making contact with her cheek. Yowls out shock and outrage filled the air, but it didn't take long for them to die out. Within moments, Icetalon's lifeless body was at the leader's paws, his blood dripping from the brown tabby's jaws. She was fluffed out in anger, her claws unsheathed. Silvergorse hurried over to his leader's side.

"Quailstar! Are you alright?" He was fluffed out in shock. However, the leader remained calm.

"I'm fine, Silvergorse," Before he could argue, she turned to her Clan. There was a stern look in her eyes. "This meeting is over! Everyone return to your duties!"

That's when Brighttail stepped up, locking her gaze with Quailstar's.

"But what about Rabbitpaw? Who's going to train her? And what about what just happened?"

The leader shot the Hunter a dark look.

"We'll address that later tonight. Right now, I need to talk to Whiskerfur, Stormrunner, Whitefeather, and Silvergorse."

The three toms stepped forward. Stormrunner was the first of them to speak.

"I believe Whiskerfur is with her kits." Rabbitpaw blinked in surprise and glanced at her left. Fuzzypaw wasn't there. Glancing through the Clan, she finally spotted the apprentice with her mother, Whiskerfur, and her sister, Mallowpaw. Rabbitpaw glanced over when she heard Quailstar sigh.

"Stormrunner, go get her and tell her to meet us in my den. Silvergorse, get Wrenpaw to sit outside the den and keep others away. Whitefeather, I need you to grab the cats from your patrol." Without any other word, Quailstar turned and headed to the rock den. Rabbitpaw stood there, not knowing what to do as her father went to go get the deputy. She nearly jumped when she felt someone brush against her. She relaxed as soon as she saw who it was.

"Are you alright, Rabbitpaw?" Briarpaw asked, her brown eyes bright with fear and concern. Rabbitpaw managed a nod.

"Y-yeah, just a little scared is all." Briarpaw nuzzled against her sister and Rabbitpaw nuzzled back. Through the slowly dispersing crowd, Fogstream raced over to them, nearly knocking over a few of the older cats. Cats shot him some hostile looks as he skidded to a stop in front of Rabbitpaw.

"A-are you alright? He did hurt you, did he? Rabbitpaw-"

"I'm fine," The apprentice promised, stopping Fogstream from his panic. She walked in a small circle to show that she was unharmed. "He didn't have the chance before I made it to Whitefeather."

Though he seemed to calm down on the outside, Rabbitpaw could look in his eyes and see the deep-set worry. She managed a smile to help, but didn't see any immediate changes. She glanced towards the leader's den.

"What do you think they're talking about in there?" She asked, looking between her sister and her friend. Fogstream shook his head.

"I don't know..."

"Hopefully nothing too awful." Briarpaw added.

* * *

It wasn't until sunhigh that the cats left leader's den. Rabbitpaw had stayed in the apprentice's den, not knowing what to do. Her sister was now training with her mentor, and Fogstream was sent out on a patrol when Whiskerfur had stepped out briefly. When she had caught a glimpse of Stormrunner stepping out of the den, the small she-cat dashed out, ears perked as she awaited news. As the other cats left, Stormrunner walked over to her and placed his nose on her head.

"Stay right here," There was calmness in his tone. "I've got to get Brighttail and your siblings."

Confused, Rabbitpaw did as she was told. While her father slipped away, she watched the other cats. Whitefeather was holding his head high and proud as Voleleap and the others followed him out, which made her question what the cats had even talked about. Silvergorse's expression was harder to read as he slipped into the herb cat den. Quailstar's face still had blood matting her cheek from where she had been scratched by Icetalon. Finally, Whiskerfur, who whispered something to Quailstar before going off.

Rabbitpaw glanced back at Quailstar, quickly realizing that the leader was looking towards her. She couldn't read her leader's expression, which just frightened her. Quickly, she looked towards Briarpaw, who was talking with her mentor. Stormrunner walked over to them, Brighttail by his side. As they spoke, Rabbitpaw glanced back over to Quailstar. Thankfully, the leader was preoccupied by Silvergorse dressing her wound. She was so distracted that she jumped when she noticed Wrenpaw had approached her. The herb cat apprentice had something with him. He placed it between them.

"Nerve root. Silvergorse had me go get some to help reduce any tension you might be feeling," He nudged the root forward slightly with his paw. Rabbitpaw eyed the plant carefully. "All you need to do his chew it."

"Thank you." Rabbitpaw offered a smile, but Wrenpaw simply looked away.

"And, just so it helps; they didn't talk about anything bad." He informed before padding away. Rabbitpaw blinked and looked down at the nerve root. If nothing bad was going to happen, then what were they talking about? Rabbitpaw began to chew the herb, watching her father as he headed back towards her. Brighttail's green eyes were bright in excitement. She rushed over to Rabbitpaw and began to groom her daughter's pelt.

"Wait, what's going on?" The apprentice asked. Brighttail pulled away and looked over at the dark gray tom.

"You didn't tell her?"

"Not yet. That's Quailstar's surprise."

"Tell me what?" Rabbitpaw's ears lowered slightly. Did Wrenpaw lie to her and told her it wasn't bad?

"Those who can serve DuskClan gather under the leader's den for a Clan meeting!" Quailstar called from on top of her rubble den. Briarpaw nudged Rabbitpaw forward as the three siblings joined the growing crowd of cats. Whispers sounded all around the three siblings.

"Hopefully she explains what happened with Icetalon. Do you really think he tried to kill Rabbitpaw?"

"StarClan knows what's going on now."

"Is this about Icetalon's apprentice? A new mentor?"

"They're almost old enough to join their full ranks."

"What's going on?"

"Silence!" Quailstar called out. The Clan's chatter slowly fell to empty silence. The leader gave a nod. "Now, first things first, about Icetalon. I talked with the patrol, as well as a some other cats, and we've come to the conclusion that Icetalon was, in fact, guilty of attempting to kill Rabbitpaw. His story didn't add up."

Yowls and cries of approval sounded. However, right behind her, Rabbitpaw heard someone grumble is disappointment. She glanced behind herself, but all she saw was the dark gray tail of a cat vanish into the crowd. Confused, she had no clue who it could have been, seeing as there was plenty of dark gray cats in the Clan. Looking back at Quailstar, she saw the leader wave her tail for silence.

"Now, for the second thing I need to do today. Rabbitpaw-" Rabbitpaw's heart froze for a moment. "Berrypaw, and Briarpaw. Step forward."

Rabbitpaw could hardly believe her ears. She still had some time to go, so were they really earning their full names now? Briarpaw nudged Rabbitpaw forward. The three siblings made their way to the front of the Clan.

"Berrypaw, I, Quailstar, have been watching you train to be the best hunter you could be. For your effort and hard work, you will join the rank of your mentor and no longer be considered an apprentice. Now, Berrypaw, are you ready to take on the full responsibility of becoming a full Hunter?"

"Yes, ma'am." Berrypaw held his head high.

"Then, with the power that the Star Watchers invested in me, you will be known as Berrystorm. We all value your determination and we hope you serve your Clan well," Berrystorm and Quailstar bowed their heads at each other. "Briarpaw, it's your turn."

Rabbitpaw watched, wide-eyed, as her sister went from Briarpaw to Briarstep, a full Camp Guard of DuskClan.

"We all value your quick-thinking and we hope you serve your Clan well," The two bowed their heads, Briarstep's eyes shining brightly. Finally, Quailstar looked at Rabbitpaw, kindness in her amber eyes. "Finally, Rabbitpaw. I, Quailstar, have been watching your training to be the best Patrol Guard you can be. For your effort and hard work, you will join the rank of your former mentor and no longer be considered an apprentice. Now, are you ready to take on the full responsibility of becoming a Patrol Guard?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Rabbitpaw could hardly believe it! Her heart was racing and her ears pricked and straining to hear her own full name.

"Then, with the power that the Star Watchers invested in me, you will be known as Rabbitheart. We all value your spirit and we hope you serve your Clan well." The two bowed their heads. Rabbitheart was almost shaking. She actually had her name. She was a full Patrol Guard. Behind her, yowls started to rise in the air.

"Berrystorm! Briarstep! Rabbitheart! Berrystorm! Briarstep! Rabbitheart!"

* * *

It had been six moons since she had earned her full name. Overhead, a full moon shone down as Rabbitheart walked through DuskClan, the sounds of bats squeaking about, looking for their next meal. Next to her, a gray pelt was turned almost silver. They were almost at poppy meadow, where most of the flowers had died to prepare for the upcoming snow.

"Alright, Fogstream, you big furball," Rabbitheart purred as she batted at the tabby. "Now will you really tell my why you wanted to bring me out here?"

Fogstream chucked.

"Alright, alright," He took a deep breath, stepping in front of Rabbitheart. Confused, the brown tabby tilted her head at him. "Rabbitheart, you know you're my best friend, right?"

"Of course! What kind of question is that?"

"Well, I've liked you more than that for a while now. Star Watcher's know how long I've been trying to find the words to ask. And, well, I was wondering, hoping really, if... We could... Be more than friends. Mates, even?" Shyly, Fogstream stepped back. It was clear he was expecting the worse. However, this was a proposal that Rabbitheart wasn't willing to turn down. She dipped her head down slightly so she could touch noses to Fogstream. His amber eyes widened in surprise when she did that.

"I'd love that." She purred. Fogstream pulled back for just a moment, his eyes mixed with surprise and relief. It wasn't long until he nuzzled his cheek against hers.

"I love you, Rabbitheart." She nuzzled back.

"I love you, too, Fogstream."

* * *

Five moons had passed. Now Rabbitheart traveled alone, the forest around her dying slowly. Scared and confused, the brown tabby walked carefully through the decaying forest. Something rustled behind her and she turned swiftly, bristling in fear. Lifting her head, Rabbitheart tried to hide her fear.

"Who's there?!" She cried out. There was no reply. However, in the darkness, Rabbitheart could see a pair of blue eyes peering through the darkness. There was something sickeningly familiar about those eyes that made the Patrol Guard back away. Creeping out of the darkness, Rabbitheart's fears were quickly confirmed. It was-

"Icetalon." She hissed, claws unsheathing. However, he didn't respond. Instead, he continued to approach. Rabbitheart let out one more warning hiss, though it still didn't deter the approaching tom. With a yowl, she lunged at him, sinking her claws into his shoulder and scratching him.

Then there was a squeal. Not from Icetalon. Not from herself.

Rabbitheart's eyes snapped open. Quickly, she realized that she wasn't in the forest, but surrounded by the walls of the nursery. Morning sunlight filtered through the opening of the old badger den as the queen blinked herself awake.

 _It's just that dream again. It's strange, though... I never struck him in the dream before._ Looking down at her belly, she relaxed to see the five moving shapes of her kits. She let out a calm purr as she groomed each of them. She was quick to notice which one was throwing the squealing fit. It was little Chervilkit, who had fallen over on her back and was having a hard time flipping over. Carefully, the queen nudged over the little gray and white tabby. As soon as she did, the crying stopped and the kit quickly nestled into Rabbitheart's light brown belly.

She glanced over at her two brown tabby daughters, Coyotekit and Maplekit, who were thankfully still asleep. Though none of her kits had opened their eyes yet, those two were already little nightmares, constantly biting and batting at each other until one of them started to cry. Speaking of crying, as soon as Rabbitheart thought it, her brown and white tabby son, Nutkit, started mewling loudly, Chervilkit having crawled on top of him and woken him up. As she overlooked her kits, she quickly realized that she hadn't groomed her fifth kit, but had groomed Chervilkit twice.

"Snowkit?" The tabby queen's heart almost stopped. However, she heard the tiny squeal of another kit right behind her. Turning her head, she noticed her smallest kit, Snowkit, had made it to the other side of her. Carefully picking up Snowkit, she placed the pure white kitten at her belly. As she looked at her other son, something in her heart dropped. She knew many cats said he looked like Whitewolf, Fogstream's late mother, but something deep inside the queen found a sickening resemblance to her former mentor inside her kit. Still, she groomed, cared for, and loved him just as much as her other kits, even with who he reminded her of. Lowering her head on her paws, Rabbitheart quickly noticed something odd. Lifting her head back up, she looked down at her paws.

Her heart almost stopped.

Between her toes was a tuft of pure white fur.


	10. Reasons

It was oddly dark, the amber tabby noticed right away. He had gone outside at night before, but even then it hadn't ever been so... Engulfing. It almost felt like the darkness was trying to consume him. Walking through the forest, he was trying to remember why he left camp. Granted the tom had no friends there, on account that he pushed everyone away constantly, he couldn't recall a single reason he'd be out here. Looking up, he noticed thick black clouds slowly covering the moon. Looking back around him, he started to grow angry.

 _Everything looks the same!_ He thought, feeling frustrated. It didn't help that the blackness seeped through the forest like a mist.

"Buzzardpaw!" A strange voice called, startling the hunter apprentice. It didn't sound like anyone he knew, but it was definitely an adult she-cat. Cautious, he took a step forward, ears perked, and his whole body on alert.

"Who's there?" He called into the engulfing darkness. He could hear his own voice echo through the dead trees. Unsure, the tom took a few more steps.

"Buzzardpaw!" The voice came from behind. The amber tabby turned around sharply, ready to face whoever was calling his name. However, when he turned, there was no she-cat. Frighteningly familiar amber eyes bore into the young tom's yellow ones. Ever inch of fur on the hunter apprentice fluffed up as he took a trembling step back. The golden tabby in front of him stalked forward eyes narrowed in dark intent.

Buzzardpaw's heart nearly stopped, his mind flashing back to the nursery as he remembered the queens keeping him and Brindlekit away from their father. He remembered his father's voice, cold and sharp, claiming that the queens couldn't keep him away from his kits, now with Amberflame gone. He remembered being a young apprentice, tossed around as his father took out his frustration on him and his sister behind the backs of their mentors. When Brindlepaw tried to challenge him, he nearly clawed the she-cat's ear off. She threatened to tell, only to be met with their father's wrath.

 _"What? Who do you think DuskClan's going to believe? A young, disrespectful kit who can't do anything right? Or a full grown warrior whose proven his loyalty?"_ He had growled at her that day. Buzzardpaw found himself froze in fear by the time the golden tom was right in front of him. There was a scowl on the older tom's face.

"Pathetic," He spat at Buzzardpaw. "Of course they would make such a sad excuse for a son a hunter. First, you kill your mother and now you're just going to continue to disappoint my legacy? You and your sister both are just pathetic."

Buzzardpaw began to bristle, even though he knew he couldn't take on his father. He had been trained to hunt, not fight. Before he could react, the golden tabby grabbed him by the scruff and threw him hard against a tree. A gasp of pain escaped the apprentice.

"What? Do you think you could just _attack_ me? You must be one mousebrained, sorry excuse for a cat to just think 'Oh, I'm sure Adderstrike won't notice that I'm getting ready to strike'," Adderstrike hissed, standing over the young tom, one paw on the hunter apprentice's throat. "What do you think will happen, Buzzardpaw, when I tear your throat out? Do you think you'll bleed out here?"

The older tom pressed down harder.

"Do you think you might not wake up?"

Adderstrike unsheathed his claws, but didn't sink them into his son's throat just yet. Adderstrike lowered himself until he was nose-to-nose with Buzzardpaw.

"If you died here, Buzzardpaw, would you wake up back in your nest, safely? Or would they find a limp body with no visible wounds laying in your nest?"

Buzzardpaw tried to speak, but no words came out. Now using his other front paw to push down hard on Buzzardpaw's belly, Adderstrike rose the paw that had been sitting on the amber tabby's throat.

In a flash it came down towards him.

"No!" Buzzardpaw's eyes flashed open, as his limbs lashed out. With his heart beating wildly in his chest, the tom realized quickly that he was in the apprentice den, in his nest, surrounded by sleeping cats. From nearby, he heard Mistlepaw stir a bit, but was thankful when he didn't hear anyone wake. Laying correctly in his nest, the tom stared down at his paws for a long time, trying to calm himself.

 _It was a nightmare._ He reminded himself. _Adderstrike is dead and there's no way he can hurt you anymore._

Hearing light snores come from Skypaw's nest, a sick feeling made the oldest apprentice's stomach twist.

 _Just because_ he _can't lay a claw on you, doesn't mean your safe._ A voice whispered from within himself. His looked wearily through the apprentices' den at the younger, sleeping cats. Any one of these cats could turn out to be just as bad as his father.

 _This is why you need to keep away. Trust leads to pain._

Buzzardpaw rested his head on his paws. He was not intending on sleep, but just to pretend to.

"Trust leads to pain." He quietly repeated under his breath, knowing that none of the others were awake to hear him.

 _So don't trust anyone._


	11. A Moment

_**Another challenge from We Are The Night [aka WatN]. We had to generate a pairing and write about it. It didn't have to be romantic, but it has to be the two characters interacting in a [somewhat] positive light.**_

* * *

The wind lightly tugged at Red's fur as he made his way towards DuskClan's temporary camp. Had it not been for Sn- Ivysnow and Russetnose, he wouldn't know where it was. It was awkward to be so close, but he just wanted to see everyone. Glancing towards the forest, he saw that there were no longer smoke, meaning this was his only chance to watch his Clanmates before they returned to their old, probably ruined home. As he stood there, he couldn't help but remember Mudpelt, Rainheart, and their daughters. Last he heard, Dustpaw had sadly passed away, meaning Breezefur was alone.

Pity grew in his chest. Her family was gone and he couldn't help but blame himself. Yes, Mudpelt and Rainheart were _directly_ his fault, since he did kill them for harassing his brother, but he couldn't help but feel him killing the two of them led to their younger daughter dying. With a heavy sigh, the ginger tom sat down, his gaze hard on his paws.

 _Nice going, Redpelt. You've ruined someone's life._ The former Clan cat chided his younger self. However, Redpelt couldn't hear. Redpelt had been banished and lost his Clan name. Redpelt had died and matured when he became Red.

Suddenly, there was a crack. The ginger tom jerked his head up and turned towards the sound. Bright eyes met his and the tom instantly knew he was trouble. Before he had time to brace himself, however, the bright-eyed stranger pounced and pinned him to the ground, sharp claws digging into his thick fur. Stuck on his back, Red felt fear rush through him.

"You." The stranger hissed. When he heard the voice, Red knew who it was.

"Breezefur?" The ginger tom squirmed to try to get out of her grasp, but her claws only dug in more, drawing blood. Though it was not time to notice scents, Red couldn't help but catch the faintest milk-scent on her.

 _She's a mother now..._

"What are you doing here?" Though it was worded like a question, her tone made it sound like she was ordering him to tell.

"Er-"

"Now." Her tone was dangerous and Red suddenly felt unsure. He cough, trying to be cautious with his words.

"I wanted to see everyone." He replied calmly.

"After what you did?"

"Look-"

"No, you 'look'. I'm not letting a bloodfang near this Clan! Not after Petalstar-" The she-cat cut herself off. Red managed to push himself free, being quick to put a small bit of distance between the two of them before she tried to swipe at him.

"What about Petalstar?" He asked, remaining calm against her outrage. However, curiosity pricked at his pelt.

"Why should it matter, _bloodfang_?"

"Because I'm still a DuskClan cat! Whether you like it or not, I was still born and raised as a Clan cat." Though Red was trying his best to keep his act together, her aggression, be it warranted, was getting to him. He never was one to get along with short-tempered cats. Breezefur hissed in response, her gray tabby fur bristling.

"If you really were a DuskClan cat, you would have never killed Mudpelt or Rainheart."

Red winced slightly.

"I made mistakes."

" _That's_ an understatement." She replied with a bitter sorrow in her tone.

"What would you have done if it was two cats bullying Dustpaw?"

Breezefur locked her eyes sharply on him. In the moment he wasn't sure if she was going to attack or not. Either way, he braced himself for the worse. Their eyes remained locked on each other for a long time. Much longer than either cat was obviously comfortable with. Finally, the gray she-cat looked away, her eyes sorrowful as she sighed.

"I don't know, but you didn't have to kill them." Her voice sounded strained, as if she was holding back sobs.

"I know. There's times I regret it, but..." Red noticed Breezefur was watching him with a tense look, as if the 'times' he regretted it wasn't good enough. "Russetnose was the only family I knew, the only family I was close to. In the moment, I couldn't think of any other option."

Silence.

She didn't respond.

"Why I have the chance, I want to say I'm sorry, Breezefur. You and your sister had a hard time because of my actions and I never intended anything bad to happen to either of you.. I..." Red found himself at a loss for words in the moment. He sighed and lowered his head. "Just know I'm sorry. I don't expect you to forgive me. What I did was reckless and inconsiderate and I understand why you'd rather claw my pelt off than let me go."

Silence still. Red carefully looked up. Breezefur's gaze seemed hollow and distant. Wearily, the ginger tom took a step forward.

"Breezefur? Are you okay?" The gray tabby's eyes flashed with awareness. After a moment she turned her head.

"Just go. I won't hurt you, but I don't forgive you.."

That didn't satisfy Red. The not being forgive was fine, but something was bothering her. Though Red knew he shouldn't worry about his former Clanmates, he was homesick and he wanted to help someone he once shared a home with.

"Are you alright?" He asked again, more sternly. Breezefur's green eyes narrowed.

"I said go."

"Please, just talk to me. I want to help you."

"There's nothing you can do to help," Breezefur said, her tone sharp, but clearly hiding something. Quietly, so quiet that Red was convinced he wasn't suppose to hear, she added. "It's too late anyway."

Red hesitated, the milk-scent coming to mind.

"Does it..." He hesitated again. "Does it have something to do with your kits?"

Breezefur's eyes opened wide as she stared at Red. The ginger tom cursed himself as he found himself hesitating again.

"Erm, I could smell the milk-scent on you.." He mumbled quietly, almost shyly. It felt odd to bring that up and he kind of regretted it now. Breezefur became unreadable to the ginger tom, which worried him greatly. She curled her tail around her paws, looking uncomfortable. Red could tell he pushed his boundaries. "You don't have to tell me!"

His words were quick. Breezefur shook her head.

"No, you are right. It's not their fault, but..." She looked up. She looked... Sullen.

"Do you want to get if off your chest? Breezefur, we grew up together, you know I'd never tell." Red was careful not to sound insistent. He found himself missing the days where the two apprentices would train together with their fighting moves. A gray patrol guard and a little ginger patroller. Something in his heart tightened as he looked at her now, dark emotion hiding behind green eyes. He remembered seeing nothing but joy in those eyes, once upon a time.

Breezefur herself looked unsure. However, in the end, something in her caved in.

"It's their father. I have a problem with their father."

"Their father?" Red echoed. Breezefur nodded. She seemed to curl into herself, a look of disgust in her eyes, as well as a hint of fear.

"H-he's dead now, thank the Stars," Her tone was sharp and bitter once again. "I'm glad I'll never see that disgusting tom ever again."

Red listened, though his claws flexed. Maybe they weren't friends anymore, but Red would have torn that cat to shreds had he been alive. Meanwhile, Breezefur continued.

"Sometimes I see him when I look at them, though none of them look like him," She paused for a moment. "I'm thankful none of them look like him..."

"Breezefur..." Red couldn't find the words to comfort her. A look of realization flashed through her eyes.

"Hey, Red, you won't tell anyone what I'm telling you, right?" She asked.

"Breezefur, you can trust me," He promised. For an example, and a sense of humor the hopefully kill the suffocating tension. "Despite everything, I still never told anyone about your crush on Eaglefeather."

Breezefur smiled weakly, though she let out a small chuckle at the mention of Eaglefeather.

"It's not much of a secret now... I mean, it's hard to when he's my mate. And he's been a good father to the kits, too, even though they're not his.."

The two made eye contact for a long time. Despite talking, Red knew he could never bring things back to the way they use to be. He was a bloodfang and she was the mother of a bad tom's kits. They had grown apparent. Red, against the odds however, wished it could go back to the way it was. He found himself missing his Clan more than ever as he stood here in front of his former friend.

Breezefur looked away. There was a sad, but unreadable look in her eyes. A question bubbled in the tom's chest.

"Why are you out here?" He asked. Breezefur looked up, but not at him. Her eyes were fixed on the stars. Red looked up as well.

"I'm not sure myself. I was hoping for answers about what to do, but... All I found was you."

Red looked to see Breezefur was looking at him with the same sad look.

"I'm not sure it was some kind of sign, or some sort of bitter-sweet luck, but I saw you standing in the distance. At first, I was ready to kill you-"

 _At least she's being honest._

"But... I can't bring myself to do it. Even though I'm angry at what you've done, I... Can't," Her expression shifted. She looked as if she was remembering something. "Maybe because I think it'd hurt you more to live with what you've done, maybe I was thinking of who you use to be... Either way..."

Their gazes stayed on each other's for a moment.

"I can't bring myself to do it. It feels wrong."

Red wanted to say how it was wrong, but kept quiet. He had no room to speak himself and he knew it. Instead, he took a small step forward.

"I know I've already done this, but I want to apologize again... Breezefur, I know it doesn't mean much, but I'm sorry.. Mudpelt and Rainheart may not have been good to my kin, but they were yours and.. Maybe.. Just maybe.. Had they been around, nothing would have happened to Dustpaw..." He looked her in the eye. "To you.. And I can't help but feel like-"

"That's enough." Breezefur's tone was surprisingly calm. Red was a bit bewildered.

"Huh?"

"Mudpelt and Rainheart's deaths may be on your paws, but nothing else that happened is. Dustpaw was killed by a fox after she slipped out of camp following Brindle. As for what happened with Add- _that_ tom... I'm not sure Mudpelt or Rainheart would have been able to do anything about him and his foxhearted ways."

Red nodded, but it didn't change the feeling in his chest that told him it was his fault. Though it wasn't a loud voice, knowing someone did something so vile to Breezefur just told Red that maybe there was something there could have been done to help her.

"You should get going."

Red blinked in surprise. Breezefur was looking towards camp.

"Why?"

"I just saw someone heading this way from camp. Probably Eaglefeather or Softfeather. Either way, they won't show mercy if they catch you around here."

Red nodded and prepared to leave. However, before he turned tail and ran, he felt a small nudge.

"Thank you for listening." Breezefur said quietly. Red couldn't help but give a faint smile.

"Who knows, maybe we'll bump into each other again?"

Breezefur paused to think.

"Who knows," She agreed. "We just might."

The two old friends kept eye contact for a moment. Than, Red fled. He knew forgiveness may never come, but... If he could just have one friend back... That would be more than enough for him.

* * *

 ** _Not exactly a ship fic, but it's the best I could do with the characters._**


End file.
